Friday, December 12, 2014

In the previous post, I explained that science is suitable for investigating all matters. Pursuing a similar theme, I want now to discuss how science is for all people, not just bearded academics with white lab coats. (Pardon the stereotype, and let me emphasize that there is no good reason why 50% of all scientists should not be women.)

I mentioned something in that last post that is also central to this discussion: scientific method is a graded affair - not black or white. Whatever we
can learn by implementing a low level of scientific rigour, we can learn
a little more, in a little more detail, and with a little more
confidence, by applying a slightly more systematic procedure.

It perplexes me that the word 'scientism' is predominantly used as a slur to put people down and criticize their world view and methodology. I realized something recently, however, that helped me understand the error that is often being made, and how that error compounds the problem that is often being called out when people make the accusation of scientism.

First off, lets settle what scientism is. Wikipedia gives a good definition, that fits well with the contexts in which I see the term used:

Scientism is belief in the universal applicability of the scientific method and approach, and the view that empirical science constitutes the most authoritative worldview or most valuable part of human learning to the exclusion of other viewpoints.

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About Me

I'm behind the grasshopper. I'm a physicist at the University of Houston. I work on radiation monitoring, using pixelated particle detectors, for NASA's astronauts. Previously, I worked in x-ray imaging and, before that, in semiconductor physics. (I don't know if the grasshopper has his own blog.)